The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1887-06-11
THE G. A. r. AND PENSIONS.
Provisions of the Bill Prepared by the Nation
al Committee To Be Presented Next Winter.

MADISON, Wis. June 10.-Adjutant general
Gray, of the Grand Army of the Republic, is
busy engaged in issuing to all the posts in the
country an important document in the nature of
dependent pension bill, whose passage will be
urged upon the next Congress. 1t was drafted
by the national pension committee of the G.. A.
r., composed of the following mem bers of the
order: George S. Merrill, of Lawrence, Mass;
Louis Wagner, of Philadelphia; James Tanner,
of Brooklyn, n. Y; John c. Linehan, OF Pena-
cook, N. H, and John S. Kountze, of Toledo,
o. This committee was appointed by Com
mander-in-chief Fairchild under resolution of
the national encampment.
Section of the bill provides that in consider
ing the pension claims of dependent parents the
fact and cause of death, and the fact that the
soldier left no widow minor children, having
been shown as required by law, it snail be neces-
sary only to show by competent and sufficient
evidence that such parent parents are or have
been without other means of support than their
own manual labor or the contributions of others
not legally bound for their support; provided
that all pensions allowed under this section of
this act shall commence from date OF actual de-
pendence, If claim was filed prior to July /, 1850,
and in of application thereafter made the
pension shall commence from the date of the
filing of the application in the Pension Office, or
from date of subsequent dependence.
Section provides that all persons who served
three months in the military or naval service of
the United Statos, and who have been honorably
discharged and suffering from mental
physical disability not the result of their own
vicious abits, shall be entitled to receive $12
per month; that persons who now receiving
pensions under existing laws. whose claims
are pending in the Pension Office, may receive
the benefit of this act: that 10 person shall
ceive more than pension for the same period,
and rank in the service shall not be consid
cred.
Section provides that if any invalid pensioner
has died. shall hereafter die. leaving a widow.
minor child children under eighteen years of
age. or in case there be widow minor child
children, a dependent mother father. such
widow minor child or children, mother
fsther shall be placed upon the pension roll at
the rates established by for widows,
minor children and parents, without regard TO
the cause of death of such peasloner; provided.
that said widow married the deceased
pensioner prior to the passage of this act that
the increase of pensions for minor children shall
be at the rate of So per month. instead of So per
month, provided by law, and in a
minor child is insane idiotlc. otherwise help
less, the pension shall continue during the life
of said child, or during the period Of such disa-
billty
Section imposes fine of $3.50 or imprison-
m ent at hard labor not exceeding two years, or
both. in the discretion of the court a&ents or
attorneys accepting greater fee than sic, pay
able only upon the order of the Com missioner of
Pensions, by the pension agent making payment
of the pension allowed